Transnational Education Transnational Education Quality Benchmark (TNE QB)Quality Benchmark (TNE QB)Qualification Benchmarking Scheme for TNE higher education and training providers

TNE Quality Benchmark (TNE QB) is the UK NARIC review process through which awarding institutions can offer external and independent reassurance that their TNE operations have the capacity to offer TNE provision that:

• is of comparable standards to those of similar provision it offers in its home country (or across its delivery model for online learning);

• provides a learning experience that is sufficient to enable students to achieve the expected learning outcomes;

• takes account of the education, training and skills needs of the location of delivery.

TNE QB serves the primary purpose of improving international understanding and confidence in TNE qualifications, with a view to facilitating the international recognition of TNE qualifications. It ultimately aims to support the global mobility of TNE students for employment or further study, and the growth of quality and relevant TNE provision.

TNE QB will inform UK NARIC’s broader strategic engagement with national authorities, regulators, qualifications recognition bodies, and other TNE stakeholders internationally, aimed at improving the recognition climate for TNE of demonstrated quality and standard.

What is the TNE Quality Benchmark?

TNE QB offers a peer-review assessment of TNE provision against a set of standards, the TNE International Standards (TNE ISs), developed in alignment with existing international guidelines and reference points.

Particular consideration has been given to the UNESCO/OECD Guidelines for Quality Provision in Cross-Border Higher Education, the INQAAHE Guidelines of Good Practice in Quality Assurance, regional quality assurance frameworks such as the European Standards and Guidelines for Quality Assurance in the European

How does TNE QB work?

Higher Education Area, the Higher Education Quality Assurance Principles for the Asia Pacific Region, as well as the UNESCO Global Convention on the Recognition of Higher Education Qualifications.

TNE ISs consists of five standards, and a number of more detailed indicators for each standard in five overarching areas:

• Management of the TNE operation;• Standards of the programme of study; • Quality of the student experience; • Alignment with local requirements;• Information to students and the public.

What benefits do providers get throughthe TNE QB scheme?

A successful TNE QB review will entitle reviewed TNE operations to:• use the TNE QB Quality Mark for their TNE provision; • be listed on the TNE QB section of the UK NARIC International

Comparisons database, consulted worldwide to inform recognition decisions;

• have their successful TNE QB review disseminated through UK NARIC global networks, including international credential evaluators, regulators, ministries, and education providers.

What benefits do students get through the TNE QB scheme?

A successful TNE QB review will also entitle graduates of benchmarked TNE provision to:

• a TNE QB Certificate of Comparability stating that the awarded qualification has been successfully benchmarked by UK NARIC;

• an English language proficiency statement for UK work visa or further study purposes1

1This applies to qualifications which meet the criteria set out in UK Home Office Immigration Rules for Degrees taught in English.

Broader benefits of TNE QB

Providers: • Facilitates international recognition

of their TNE qualifications;• Enhances their international

reputation and market positioning in an increasing competitive context;

• Supports their own internal quality assurance processes.

Students: • Enhances TNE students’

employability prospects, through

facilitated recognition of their TNE qualifications;

• Helps prospective students to make an informed choice through an independent assessment of standards, quality and relevance of TNE provision.

Host locations: • Helps in reassuring host locations’ authorities about the standards, quality and relevance of TNE

provision offered in their jurisdiction; • Support their monitoring,

evaluation and recognition activity of TNE.

Sending locations: • Assists in informing the oversight

of regulators or quality assurance bodies in sending locations of TNE who might not have fit for purpose systems in place to oversee outbound TNE.

The TNE QB scheme is a comprehensive service available to: • all eligible1 awarding institutions

offering TNE provision, regardless of their location of origin or of delivery;

• all types of TNE delivery arrangements, including branch campuses, collaborative partnerships, and online learning, in their different forms;

• all levels of training and higher education at or above level 7 of UK NARIC Band Framework©2.

Who can apply to the TNE QB scheme?

TNE QB applies to TNE provision delivered at identified TNE operations, such as at a specific branch campus or collaborative partnership, or through a particular model of distance learning delivery.

The UK NARIC TNE QB Quality Mark is not granted to a TNE provider, but to provision delivered at successfully reviewed TNE operations.

For enquiries and more information contact us at: TNEQB@naric.org.uk1 Eligible awarding institutions must be recognised as a legitimate education provider by the relevant authorities in its home country. Only TNE provision at the level for which an awarding institution is recognised as legitimate education provider by the relevant authorities in its home country will fall within scope of TNE QB. 2 The UK NARIC Band Framework© is designed to provide maximum differentiation and detail in comparing qualifications, acting as a translation mechanism for international qualifications. Band 7 of the UK NARIC Band Framework is regarded equivalent to band 4 of the Regulated Qualifications Framework for England.

The TNE QB process

Initial engagement

If you are thinking of applying please contact the TNE QB team directly at TNEQB@naric.org.uk This will start a process of initial engagement through which the scope of the benchmarking will be agreed and a service agreement signed.

Information submission

Two weeks after the service agreement is signed the provider will be briefed about the stages of

the process and the Self Evaluation Document (SED) and supporting evidence to be submitted as the first step of the process.

Desk-based analysis

The TNE QB peer review team, composed of TNE and quality assurance experts, including students, will undertake a desk-based analysis of the SED and the supporting evidence. The analysis will serve to identify key lines of inquiry to pursue during the review visits.

The review visit

Review visits serve to explore issues and lines of inquiry highlighted by the desk-based analysis and triangulate evidence to support sound benchmarking against the TNE IS standards.

Review visits will normally take place at the TNE delivery site, but there might be circumstances where the visit might need to take place at the TNE awarding institution, or entirely remotely.

Findings report

After the review visit the TNE QB review team will produce a report containing a peer-review judgement on the alignment of benchmarked provision with the TNE ISs and a recommendation to the TNE QB Advisory Committee for the award of the TNE QB Quality Mark.

The TNE QB Quality Mark

The Advisory Committee is composed of international experts, and guarantees that the final decision about the award of the TNE QB Quality Mark is reviewed independently. Successful providers will be able to use the TNE Quality Mark in their course information and promotional materials, and will be

listed on the UK NARIC TNE QB database. Their successful review will be disseminated through the UK NARIC global community of practice, including host countries’ credential evaluators and regulators.

The TNE QB Quality Mark is for 5 years, pending successful engagement with a mid-cycle review.

The TNE QB process

About UK NARIC We are the UK’s National Agency responsible for providing expert advice and guidance on vocational, academic and professional qualifications from over 200 countries, territories and former countries worldwide. The information provided by UK NARIC enables educational institutions, professional bodies, businesses, and government departments across the globe to develop informed opinions and appropriate policies when considering qualifications or training systems from overseas. UK NARIC is a global reference point for qualifications. Over 900 member organisations from 62 countries subscribe to our online databases and resources. There are 17,000 registered users of our databanks, and our communication channels reach 20,000 relevant individuals worldwide – including via a monthly email newsletter. We operate an extensive calendar of training events (including online training) and our annual two-day conference in London is attended by almost 600 people from over 30 countries. UK NARIC benchmarking findings are, therefore, widely referenced and trusted worldwide. Our communication channels ensure dissemination of our evaluations across the globe.

www.naric.org.ukwww.naric.org.uk/TNEQBTNEQB@naric.org.uk

UK NARICSuffolk House68-70 Suffolk RoadCheltenhamGL50 2EDUK